Kid Rock, born Robert James Ritchie, is a renowned American musician known for his eclectic blend of rock, hip hop, and country music. Beyond his musical career, his personal life has garnered significant public interest, particularly his relationship with Kelly South, the mother of his son, Robert James Ritchie Jr. This article delves into the life of Kelly South, her relationship with Kid Rock, and her role as the mother of his child.
Kelly South’s Bio
| Name | Kelly South |
| Place of Birth | United States |
| Nationality | America |
| Gender | Female |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Passion | Former worker at Ford auto plant |
Early Life and Background of Kelly South
Kelly South was super mysterious like there is almost no info about her early life. Background stuff like her exact birthday or her family stuff and not much is known about what happened back then because she keeps her public life super low key and doesn’t really share much about herself: it is known though that she was born in the United States and she spent her early years living there.
Her life totally changed in 1985 when she met Robert James Ritchie who later became famous as Kid Rock. They met during their eighth grade year in Michigan and this meeting was like a huge deal because it started a relationship that later made her become known to the public more than before and that’s pretty much all the main stuff people know about her early years.
Relationship with Kid Rock
Kid Rock started a relationship that was super on and off, and it was kind of complicated like they were teenagers. This relationship began and went on for about a decade, which is really long for something so back and forth. In June 1993, Kelly had a baby boy, and they named him Robert James Ritchie Jr. because that’s Kid Rock’s real name.
While they were together, they raised three kids, though Kid Rock thought two were his. Later, it turned out only one of the kids was his biological child, causing serious problems. This truth led to their relationship falling apart, and they split up by the end of 1993.
Custody Battle and Legal Disputes
So, after their breakup, there was a huge custody fight over their son, Robert Jr., which got messy in 1995. Kid Rock got full custody of their son, but in December 1999, Kelly sued him to spend more time with Robert Jr. She was upset because Kid Rock wouldn’t let her spend summer vacations with their son.
This legal battle lasted for ten months, and in October 2000, the court decided Kelly could see Robert Jr. more often. However, she had to pay Kid Rock $25 weekly and maintain Robert Jr.’s health insurance through her job. In July 2000, Kelly sued Kid Rock again, claiming his song “Black Chick White Guy” contained untrue and hurtful lyrics about her.
She felt the song invaded her privacy and discussed personal issues that shouldn’t have been public. Kid Rock re-recorded the song from his 1996 album Early Mornin’ Stoned Pimp in 2000, which worsened things. Kelly also sued Atlantic Records and magazines for publishing false, misleading content about her, creating a series of stressful lawsuits.
Life After Separation
After her separation from Kid Rock and the subsequent legal battles, Kelly South chose to lead a private life away from the public eye. At the time of the custody battle, she was working as an autoworker for Ford Motor Co. Details about her current occupation and personal life remain scarce, as she has maintained a low profile. Despite the challenges she faced, Kelly has been a part of her son’s life, and they have shared moments together over the years.
Robert James Ritchie Jr.
Born on June 14, 1993, Robert James Ritchie Jr. is the only child of Kid Rock and Kelly South. Raised primarily by his father, Robert Jr. has pursued a career in music, following in his father’s footsteps. He released his debut single “Exstacy” in 2018 and has continued to work on his music career. In his personal life, Robert Jr. married his high school sweetheart, Marisa Trovato, on October 2, 2021, in Nashville. The couple has two children: a daughter named Skye, born in 2014, and a son named Ryder, born on September 6, 2022.
The Bottom Line
Kelly South’s life has been all mixed up and tangled with kid rock because of their past. They have a son together who is robert james ritchie jr and even though her life could have been all in the spotlight since she’s connected to a celebrity she has decided to keep her life quiet and private and instead she has focused all her time and energy on her personal life and also on being a mom to her son. Her story shows how complicated relationships can be and how hard it is to deal with private stuff when the whole world is watching and waiting for drama to happen.
